Former Tennessee Volunteers assistant coach Charles Kelly is set to make a significant career move, as Jacksonville State is reportedly hiring him as its new head football coach. The news, first reported by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, comes as Jacksonville State seeks to fill the vacancy left by Rich Rodriguez, who recently returned to West Virginia.
Kelly, currently Auburn’s co-defensive coordinator, brings a wealth of experience to the role. He previously served as Tennessee’s safeties coach and special teams coordinator in 2018 under then-head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Following his stint in Knoxville, Kelly joined Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, where he worked for multiple seasons before taking a position with Deion Sanders at Colorado in 2023.
This move marks a homecoming of sorts for Kelly, as he was an assistant coach at Jacksonville State from 1994 to 1998. Additionally, Kelly’s ties to Auburn run deep, having played college football for the Tigers in the 1980s alongside current Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner.
Jacksonville State will likely benefit from Kelly’s extensive coaching background at both the collegiate and professional levels. His leadership and experience will be crucial as the program transitions into this new chapter.
